Two disks that rotate in opposite directions around the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy NGC 1068
An article published in the journal “The Astrophysical Journal” reports the discovery of a supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy NGC 1068 surrounded by two gas disks that rotate in opposite directions. A team of researchers led by Caterina Maria Violette Impellizzeri of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) used the ALMA radio telescope to observe the center of that galaxy in sufficient detail to detect the two disks and their motions. That situation is not very stable and in the future a collision between the two rings could generate an abundant meal for the black hole. That’s a possible quick growth mechanism for supermassive black holes.
